More of the Same
by Sushihiro
Summary: Freddie didn't expect Sam to change after all these years. Turns out she didn't. Written in honor of the iKiss anniversary.


_Freddie's POV_

I'd like to say I'm shocked, but I'm not and I almost of feel bad about it. Almost.

In fact I've been expecting it and I laughed when Carly told me, _laughed. _Maybe it was shitty of me, but I couldn't help it.

I remember six years ago when I had just returned to my apartment after a long day of test taking and essay writing. I was applying to numerous graduate schools across the country so that even if I wasn't accepted I would have somewhere to fall back on. Carly had let herself in, waiting for me as I stepped through the door. I hadn't been entirely surprised to see her, though it had been a few months since our last meeting.

"Sam's getting married," she had said. I hadn't laughed then.

That was her first marriage and I had forgiven her for it. She was nineteen then after all, and at nineteen we all make stupid mistakes.

I was disappointed, and Carly knew it because I _had _laughed. She was disappointed, too. I guess we had hoped Sam would have done some growing up by now. I suppose I should get used to being disappointed.

"Sam's smart," Carly had argued back then. "This is stupid, but she's smart. She won't go through with this, she's just mad at us. She won't do it."

She did it, and she ended it, then she did it again. Now she was ending it again.

I guess I should have been happy or relieved, but I wasn't, and not just because I actually liked the second guy. He was smart and grounded and clean, unlike the first one. Their fights had been stupid, but they were enough to end the best and longest relationship Sam had ever been in.

"Sam's getting divorced," Carly said this time, looking rather like she did that first day back in my apartment.

I laughed, and she looked both puzzled and worried. She didn't ask me why I laughed and I didn't explain. She went on to tell me about how she tried to talk her out of it and every other detail on the matter, but I was hardly listening.

Maybe I'm selfish for wanting her still after everything I had done. How I felt wasn't fair to her or to anyone else involved. But my jaw clenched shut and my fists tightened and Carly paused, taking notice.

"Freddie, please don't do anything stupid."

When I ignored her, heading for the door, she yelled after me, "Think about someone besides yourself for once!"

She looked surprised to see me, and when my presence finally registered she looked about ready to slam the door in my face. I slipped inside uninvited, and she didn't protest, though she looked angry.

"So Carly told you," she rolled her eyes. "God, can't she keep anything to herself?"

"This is our chance again," I said, eyes burning into hers.

It was Sam's turn to laugh then. "Forget it. I'm divorced, not desperate."

I swore under my breath, and she stared at me completely unimpressed. I hadn't seen her in awhile. It had been a few months. Her blond locks were uncombed and she wore a t-shirt and jeans. She looked older somehow.

"Sam-" I started.

"No," she snapped. "You didn't want me. You had her and you didn't care what I wanted. You shouldn't ask me to come back, it isn't right and it isn't fair."

I felt foolish all of a sudden for expecting something different from Sam. She would always be the same. I of all people should know that the best.

"You're stubborn," I sighed, wanting to laugh again, but deciding against it. Sam probably wouldn't take it very well.

"No shit," she scoffed, offering me a glass of water which I gratefully accepted. Perhaps I had been irrational in coming here.

"So Tom is gone then. I don't see any of his things here."

"He came and got the rest of it, today."

I nodded.

"You know, I loved you, Freddie," she said after a lengthy silence. "And maybe I still do, but I can't do this now and I probably won't do it again in a while. I can't afford this divorce as it is, and I definitely can't afford more of this. So just no, okay?"

I wanted to kiss her, so I did. She let me, and it calmed us both down. Her mouth was soft, and tasted of some kind of alcohol. When I pulled away, I winced at the after taste.

"What the hell did I just say?"

I shrugged sheepishly.

"Remember that I said no," she repeated.

"And when your divorce is finalized, remember that I'm here," I replied.

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Real smooth, Fredward."

She kicked me out, afterwards, though she did so politely, claiming that she had more boxes to pack and I was distracting her and I should go. I didn't expect things to change for awhile, because Sam wasn't that kind of person and she probably never would be. If I were smart, I would probably forget her and move on.

But then again, no one ever accused me of being smart.

* * *

**A/N: **I kind of hate this and I wrote it in under an hour, but I felt like I had needed to commemorate the anniversary. Hope you had a good one, you guys.


End file.
